Oliver Glasner has revealed that he chose to halt transfer activity at Nottingham Forest over the summer, despite owner Evangelos Marinakis' willingness to invest further. The manager felt it was essential not to inflate the squad without the lure of European competition, opting instead to keep options available for the January window.
Having taken the reins at Forest in July following Vitor Pereira's departure, Glasner oversaw an active transfer window which saw six new players arrive. The club splashed over €130 million on the likes of Liam Delap, Usman Diomande, Daniel Munoz, and Gustavo Sa, while Omer Toprak and Stephen Benda joined as free agents.
Glasner explained the rationale behind his decision:
When assessing the squad as a whole, we prioritised strategy and the necessary overhaul. We didn’t want to bring in a host of new players, preferring instead to target specific positions — like bringing in Toprak.
Given that we don’t have European fixtures this season, we wanted to make the squad more compact. I even turned down the owner's offer to sign more players. It's better to wait until January when we'll have more time to prepare.
The Austrian also admitted that Nottingham Forest wasn’t even on his radar as a potential next step after leaving Crystal Palace. It was a personal conversation with Marinakis that changed his mind:
To be honest, Forest wasn’t on my radar as a potential new club at all.
I need to feel that a club has potential and that everyone is willing to realise it. That’s the case here. During talks with the owner, I quickly felt butterflies in my stomach and realised: this challenge really excites me.
Glasner also outlined what he expects from Marinakis during challenging periods:
No owner invests money on a whim — they have to make many decisions. But fundamentally, we are aligned: we both want maximum success for Nottingham Forest.
I told the owner that he will be needed when tough times arise. And with everything he’s doing around the club, the most important aspect remains what happens on the pitch. We are currently establishing these priorities.
The start of the season has proven difficult for Forest. After five matches, the team has managed just one victory, sitting in 14th place in the Premier League, while they were knocked out of the League Cup in the second round by Leeds.
Looking ahead, Glasner is open to new signings in January. Unlike the frantic closing days of the summer window, the coaching staff will have more time to assess which positions genuinely need strengthening.
